The police announced on Saturday that a policeman, previously reported as murdered on the first day of the #EndBadGovernance protests, has “miraculously survived.”
Miracles or Misinformation?
One has to wonder: if he’s alive, where did the death report come from in the first place?
“Nine police officers sustained various degrees of injuries during attacks by protesters. One of them, initially reported dead, miraculously survived but remains in critical condition,” Force spokesman Muyiwa Adejobi said in a statement on Saturday.
Adejobi also reported that 618 suspects have been arrested for various violent crimes during the protests. The arrests took place in Abuja, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Nasarawa, and Sokoto.
IGP’s Misinformation?
On Thursday, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun had claimed that a policeman was murdered while on duty during the protests. He lamented that the events in major cities were “mass uprising and looting, not protests.”
“In places like FCT, Kaduna, Kano, and Gombe, among others, we recorded incidents of unprovoked attacks on our security personnel. One policeman was reported murdered and others seriously injured. The Nigeria Police Force has placed all units on red alert. Our officers are fully mobilized and prepared to respond swiftly and decisively to public safety and order,” the IGP stated.
Activist Deji Adeyanju immediately challenged the IGP to name the supposedly deceased policeman, insisting that no cop was killed.
Protesters’ Demands and Government Silence
The #EndBadGovernance protests, caused by economic hardship and scheduled for ten days, entered their third day on Saturday. Youths continued to push for President Bola Tinubu to address their demands, which include the restoration of petrol subsidies, a stable forex regime, solutions to food shortages, unemployment, and government waste. They also demand a reduction in the President’s cabinet, lower governance costs, and immediate reforms of INEC and EFCC to fight corrupt politicians effectively.
Violence and police responses have escalated in several states, including Kano, Borno, Yobe, Kaduna, Jigawa, and Nasarawa, where hoodlums have taken advantage of the chaos, burning vehicles, and looting warehouses and private stores. Despite civil society organizations condemning police actions, officers continued to disperse protesters with tear gas.
A Deafening Silence
Amid all this chaos, one question remains, Why hasn’t President Tinubu addressed the nation? With the country seemingly in distress, his silence is both deafening and troubling. Is this fair? Is this okay?
